Why Noel Acciari Might Not Be as Physical for Penguins (And That’s OK) (+)

There was some question in the preseason about Noel Acciari. Where was the crash-and-bang energy player that the Toronto Maple Leafs paid handsomely for at the 2023 NHL trade deadline and the Pittsburgh Penguins made a beeline for at the start of free agency?

Acciari was reserved in the preseason, exclusively centering a line with Jeff Carter on the right and a rotating cast on the left. For fans waiting for the next iteration of Brandon Tanev or Darius Kaspiritis, Acciari’s calm demeanor was surprising, if not questionable.

But as Accairi told Pittsburgh Hockey Now during a chat this week, “You don’t want to chance anything. You save those for the regular season.”

But once the regular season curtain rises, that’s not why you’ll see a more responsible, calculating Acciari than you may have expected in a Pittsburgh Penguins sweater. Acciari’s move to center will have far more to do with the type of player you’ll see.

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